Brevity
05-08-2003, 11:57 PM
New price, new games and new life for MS's online gaming service. Definitive interview!
May 08, 2003 - November will be here before you know it and every Xbox fan who dropped $50 for an Xbox Live Starter Kit at launch last year has been wondering what will become of their Xbox Live subscriptions this fall. Microsoft has unveiled several new pricing plans to keep current subscribers happy and entice new and timid Xbox owners to take the plunge into online gaming. Without further delay here are the new pricing plans:
Renewal (folks who already have Xbox Live) subscriptions will cost $49.99 for another 12 months.
New Starter Kits (Disc, Communicator) will cost $69.99 and include a 12 month subscription.
Or cautious newcomers can purchase an Xbox Live compatible game, purchase a standalone Communicator for $29.99, play two months free on Xbox Live and then have the option of buying a 12 month subscription for $49.99 (as a renewing customer) or opting to go month-to-month at $5.99.
To help clear things up we talked to Andre Vrignaud, Director of Technical Strategy for Xbox Live. He's the guy that makes all of the assorted components of Xbox Live come together in one tidy package. In the interview below he explains the new pricing options, unveils a new game or two and takes several delicious shots at Sony's online plan. Read it and smile
IGN: Why is the original Moto GP still on the Xbox Live Starter Kit disc while Whacked has been replaced by both Tetris Online and a MechAssault demo?
Andre Vrignaud: We will be refreshing the titles we pack in with the Xbox Live Starter kit regularly, and take a lot of different things into account when making these decisions, including popularity, freshness, timing, Live implementation, features, etc. Moto GP remains because it's one of the most popular titles played on Live today and because it's a fantastic example of implementing Live support in a game (check out the Optimatch options, and the Stats relative to Friends!). In short, a lot of gamers love it, and we expect a lot of new Live subscribers will be just as excited as the current audience to get a game of this caliber!
IGN: How will renewals for Xbox Live be handled?
AV: We're excited to announce that we will be offering a renewal option for Live subscribers for $49.99 a year - matching our initial aggressive launch offer. New subscribers will be able to purchase an Xbox Live Starter Kit for $69.99 this fall, and in addition, we have heard your requests loud and clear, and are offering an additional monthly option for $5.99 a month - just under twenty cents a day!
I want to make clear that this monthly option is just that - an option. You can choose to renew your subscription for a year for just $49.99, or if you prefer to subscribe month to month you can do so!
We're also going to have free two month Live trials packed in with almost every Live game this holiday. (Yes, if you sign up for Live as a trial subscriber, you qualify for the special $49.99 year renewal rate.)
Renewals will be handled in the same way most companies handle subscriptions today - just as you receive a cable TV or Satellite bill in the mail today (often with the option to automatically pay with withdrawals from your bank), we will automatically renew your subscription using your billing information on file. Obviously, subscribers will be reminded well beforehand about the upcoming renewal, and can choose to close their account if they don't wish to keep gaming with us!
IGN: When can we expect the first Microsoft Game Studios title with a monthly fee?
AV: It's not a focus for us right now. We're focused on expanding the content, community, and competition on Live. Of the more than 100 Live games that will be available to choose from in the next year, I'd guess only a few—and perhaps only Phantasy Star Online from Sega's Sonic Team—will require a monthly fee.
IGN: Will there ever be an Xbox Live/Xbox/software bundle?
AV:"Ever?" Sure. Yes. Absolutely. No doubt.
When, where, and how? No idea, and no current plans.
For one thing, Xbox Live Starter Kits are selling like hotcakes. Beyond that, keep in mind that there is a cost to bundling anything, and we don't want to pass on that cost to *all* gamers who buy some sort of bundle when they might not be able to take advantage of it. Our upcoming free trial and pricing offers make Live more approachable for more people so that's how we plan to further expand the Live community.
IGN: What incentive program for new subscribers will Microsoft offer to make up for the lack of Xbox Live titles?
AV: We've got over 100 Live titles coming out over the next year, with over 400,000 gamers who have played on Live. Just as with *any* platform and publisher, most titles tend to gravitate toward the latter half of the year, with the majority coming out around Thanksgiving for the holiday season. In short, there is a flood of incredible Xbox Live games coming, including Halo 2, Project Gotham Racing 2, Counter-Strike, Tom Clancy's Ravenshield, some of the first Rare titles, and a bunch of titles I can't mention because even now, sitting in the middle of a café in Seattle where I'm hiding to catch up on E3 work I'm sure the PR guys have some guy on a roof watching me through a scope. (They're everywhere, you know.)
2nd half here. (http://www.thedirtydozenclan.com/index.php?act=ST&f=23&t=1253&st=0&)
May 08, 2003 - November will be here before you know it and every Xbox fan who dropped $50 for an Xbox Live Starter Kit at launch last year has been wondering what will become of their Xbox Live subscriptions this fall. Microsoft has unveiled several new pricing plans to keep current subscribers happy and entice new and timid Xbox owners to take the plunge into online gaming. Without further delay here are the new pricing plans:
Renewal (folks who already have Xbox Live) subscriptions will cost $49.99 for another 12 months.
New Starter Kits (Disc, Communicator) will cost $69.99 and include a 12 month subscription.
Or cautious newcomers can purchase an Xbox Live compatible game, purchase a standalone Communicator for $29.99, play two months free on Xbox Live and then have the option of buying a 12 month subscription for $49.99 (as a renewing customer) or opting to go month-to-month at $5.99.
To help clear things up we talked to Andre Vrignaud, Director of Technical Strategy for Xbox Live. He's the guy that makes all of the assorted components of Xbox Live come together in one tidy package. In the interview below he explains the new pricing options, unveils a new game or two and takes several delicious shots at Sony's online plan. Read it and smile
IGN: Why is the original Moto GP still on the Xbox Live Starter Kit disc while Whacked has been replaced by both Tetris Online and a MechAssault demo?
Andre Vrignaud: We will be refreshing the titles we pack in with the Xbox Live Starter kit regularly, and take a lot of different things into account when making these decisions, including popularity, freshness, timing, Live implementation, features, etc. Moto GP remains because it's one of the most popular titles played on Live today and because it's a fantastic example of implementing Live support in a game (check out the Optimatch options, and the Stats relative to Friends!). In short, a lot of gamers love it, and we expect a lot of new Live subscribers will be just as excited as the current audience to get a game of this caliber!
IGN: How will renewals for Xbox Live be handled?
AV: We're excited to announce that we will be offering a renewal option for Live subscribers for $49.99 a year - matching our initial aggressive launch offer. New subscribers will be able to purchase an Xbox Live Starter Kit for $69.99 this fall, and in addition, we have heard your requests loud and clear, and are offering an additional monthly option for $5.99 a month - just under twenty cents a day!
I want to make clear that this monthly option is just that - an option. You can choose to renew your subscription for a year for just $49.99, or if you prefer to subscribe month to month you can do so!
We're also going to have free two month Live trials packed in with almost every Live game this holiday. (Yes, if you sign up for Live as a trial subscriber, you qualify for the special $49.99 year renewal rate.)
Renewals will be handled in the same way most companies handle subscriptions today - just as you receive a cable TV or Satellite bill in the mail today (often with the option to automatically pay with withdrawals from your bank), we will automatically renew your subscription using your billing information on file. Obviously, subscribers will be reminded well beforehand about the upcoming renewal, and can choose to close their account if they don't wish to keep gaming with us!
IGN: When can we expect the first Microsoft Game Studios title with a monthly fee?
AV: It's not a focus for us right now. We're focused on expanding the content, community, and competition on Live. Of the more than 100 Live games that will be available to choose from in the next year, I'd guess only a few—and perhaps only Phantasy Star Online from Sega's Sonic Team—will require a monthly fee.
IGN: Will there ever be an Xbox Live/Xbox/software bundle?
AV:"Ever?" Sure. Yes. Absolutely. No doubt.
When, where, and how? No idea, and no current plans.
For one thing, Xbox Live Starter Kits are selling like hotcakes. Beyond that, keep in mind that there is a cost to bundling anything, and we don't want to pass on that cost to *all* gamers who buy some sort of bundle when they might not be able to take advantage of it. Our upcoming free trial and pricing offers make Live more approachable for more people so that's how we plan to further expand the Live community.
IGN: What incentive program for new subscribers will Microsoft offer to make up for the lack of Xbox Live titles?
AV: We've got over 100 Live titles coming out over the next year, with over 400,000 gamers who have played on Live. Just as with *any* platform and publisher, most titles tend to gravitate toward the latter half of the year, with the majority coming out around Thanksgiving for the holiday season. In short, there is a flood of incredible Xbox Live games coming, including Halo 2, Project Gotham Racing 2, Counter-Strike, Tom Clancy's Ravenshield, some of the first Rare titles, and a bunch of titles I can't mention because even now, sitting in the middle of a café in Seattle where I'm hiding to catch up on E3 work I'm sure the PR guys have some guy on a roof watching me through a scope. (They're everywhere, you know.)
2nd half here. (http://www.thedirtydozenclan.com/index.php?act=ST&f=23&t=1253&st=0&)